Elon Musk to launch 1 million satellites

[Ohiosnowbird]

A Daily Mail report, take it for what it is.​

This could improve Starlink in wooded campgrounds??:​

How Elon Musk’s plan to launch ONE MILLION satellites could make him the most terrifyingly powerful man on the planet​

 

[DonTom]

This could improve Starlink in wooded campgrounds??:​

I was playing around with my new Starlink mini today. I simply pointed it to what I think is north, right into a bunch of tall trees NOT using the app to align it or anything, and it worked perfectly. Sure is a handy thingy. I have mine very portable, using a small HFT Power Station for it's 12VDC, so I can lay it down outside anywhere. Small enough that I can take it on any of my motorcycles. Then I will not need the PowerStation as all my bikes have a 12V output connector, that I sometimes use for my heated jacked and gloves, etc.

I just ordered a small compass to use with it for when I have no idea which way is north--for when I am far from home. I could use my GPS units for that, but mechanical ones I do not need to bootup.

I then set up my cell phone to work via wireless with my Starlink, and that worked perfectly too. I noticed the phone itself says "wifi calling" when I make a call with wifi such as with the StarLink.

Does Starlink really need to be any better?

But I can understand why there would be problems if parked on the bottom of a cliff to the north. So will these new 90,000 or so Starlink Satellites be somewhere other than north of earth?

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Does Starlink really need to be any better?

Your set up sounds pretty neat. I know, Starlink is pretty amazing but we’ve been in places where it just doesn’t work which is frustrating.

I lived in Utah for a while and I know how clear out west can be and I think it would be incredibly great there. Having been out that way and seen quite a bit of it, I was homeschooling 1 kiddo then so we got to explore A LOT! Now we spend a good deal of our travel time East and Southeast of the Mississippi and most of the campgrounds are heavily wooded which is quite nice but we’ve had Starlink not work a bunch. Though this last trip it did seem to work better in some areas with the palm trees and pines but deciduous trees still seem to cause trouble.

I like your idea of a compass so I am going to do that too. Dancing around with an ipad in hand to orient using the app probably looks pretty ridiculous to anyone watching. The article didn’t go into where or when these satellite will be launched but common sense says to me they’d be strategically placed so situations like we’ve experienced wouldn’t happen. I don’t know how reliable Daily Mail is but I bet some of the more “nerdy” information sites would geek out in that kind of detail! I can’t wait to see what happens with this. I’d love to get rid of verizon.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Your set up sounds pretty neat. I know, Starlink is pretty amazing but we’ve been in places where it just doesn’t work which is frustrating.

I lived in Utah for a while and I know how clear out west can be and I think it would be incredibly great there. Having been out that way and seen quite a bit of it, I was homeschooling 1 kiddo then so we got to explore A LOT! Now we spend a good deal of our travel time East and Southeast of the Mississippi and most of the campgrounds are heavily wooded which is quite nice but we’ve had Starlink not work a bunch. Though this last trip it did seem to work better in some areas with the palm trees and pines but deciduous trees still seem to cause trouble.

I like your idea of a compass so I am going to do that too. Dancing around with an ipad in hand to orient using the app probably looks pretty ridiculous to anyone watching. The article didn’t go into where or when these satellite will be launched but common sense says to me they’d be strategically placed so situations like we’ve experienced wouldn’t happen. I don’t know how reliable Daily Mail is but I bet some of the more “nerdy” information sites would geek out in that kind of detail! I can’t wait to see what happens with this. I’d love to get rid of verizon.

I use the compass app on my phone when I don't have a feel for the direction when the sun isn't available.

 

[Jayhawk 29]

While I have the compass feature on the phone, the ideal direction selector frame on the starlink app on the phone works great when you have service. I am finding that Starlink is improving on the east coast in scattered trees now, from when we originally purchased the standard kit. A curious side note, Van Treaking Lifestyle is putting stickers on the surface of their antenna, which I gather has not created a problem with reception.

 

[Wasillaguy]

30 years ago they were talking about how there was so much debris in orbit that it was becoming difficult to track it all or find an opening big enough to launch a rocket through.
Now we can have a million satellites in low earth orbit and apparently no big deal.
I don't think I believe either one.

 

[NY_Dutch]

30 years ago they were talking about how there was so much debris in orbit that it was becoming difficult to track it all or find an opening big enough to launch a rocket through.
Now we can have a million satellites in low earth orbit and apparently no big deal.
I don't think I believe either one.

At least the Starlink sats completely burn up when they reach the atmosphere, so no debris left behind or reaching Earth.

 

[DonTom]

, Starlink is pretty amazing but we’ve been in places where it just doesn’t work which is frustrating.

Are you able to move yours around easily? One of the reasons I like to keep mine completely portable--I can easily try different spots from the ground. The Wi-FI has a strong signal so it can be quite aways away from where I use it,

Between it any my portable Verizon Hotspot, I should be well covered for just about anywhere.

I have a couple of hiking GPSes that have both an internal magnetic compass as well as a satellite compass, but I prefer the old fashioned type that I do not have to turn on and wait. Even my cellphone is normally off.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Wasillaguy]

I've only had my mini a couple months but found it worked pretty well, even with only a small slice of sky visible, and not to the north.
I just point it toward the biggest open area, and it works.
Packed it in the suitcase and brought it home and using it right now. My cable internet is getting the ax.

 

[UTTransplant]

Radio waves will always be radio waves. They are attenuated by leaves, buildings, canyon walls, etc. No number of satellites will help you in a deep tree cover. While we usually put our Starlink on a flagpole mount on our back ladder, we also carry a tall tripod mount (actually a speaker stand) that we can put where needed.

 

[Jackiemac]

Daily Mail.... hmmm. That's like the newspaper I see in your grocery stores. Can't recall the name.

We have just ordered a Starlink for when we arrive in May.

 

[DonTom]

We have just ordered a Starlink for when we arrive in May.

Have you decided where you will be going? How many places have you been to where there was no cell service--and which cell service do you use? I use Verizon and only found a few places where it would not work.

I will now be looking for places that have no cell service. I need to get a real world test of my new toy.

I will be leaving next week for Sacramento Pass--again, now that I have more time. And then to Great Basin Park now that I know there is a dump station I can use in Baker, NV. I didn't realize that last time I was there--It is open all year, unlike the one in the park that doesn't open until Memorial Day.

Last time I made a big mistake by not driving into Baker. I didn't realize they had everything necessary there.

This time I will be taking my 2022 Class A.

I am not sure where I will go after Great Basin Park. Any suggestions? Places with no cell coverage preferred!


-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Are you able to move yours around easily?

Yes. I have a photography tripod that allows us to move it at will. We also have a flagpole buddy which allows us to mount it on the ladder on a flagpole. The tripod was a better investment.

When we encounter an area where Starlink doesn’t work, we fool with it by changing the location, the orientation etc. and nothing works. Just for giggles I turn on Sirius in the cab and it works like a champ every time.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

Daily Mail.... hmmm. That's like the newspaper I see in your grocery stores. Can't recall the name.

We have just ordered a Starlink for when we arrive in May.

Daily mail isn’t in the grocery store lines, though those are fun to look at, we call those “the gossipers”. Daily mail is a British paper and I sometimes read the American version online. You’ll love the Starlink, just stay out of the trees!

 

[Jackiemac]

Daily mail isn’t in the grocery store lines, though those are fun to look at, we call those “the gossipers”. Daily mail is a British paper and I sometimes read the American version online. You’ll love the Starlink, just stay out of the trees!

I know it's British it's not known here for accurate journalism

 

[Jackiemac]

Have you decided where you will be going? How many places have you been to where there was no cell service--and which cell service do you use? I use Verizon and only found a few places where it would not work.

I will now be looking for places that have no cell service. I need to get a real world test of my new toy.

I will be leaving next week for Sacramento Pass--again, now that I have more time. And then to Great Basin Park now that I know there is a dump station I can use in Baker, NV. I didn't realize that last time I was there--It is open all year, unlike the one in the park that doesn't open until Memorial Day.

Last time I made a big mistake by not driving into Baker. I didn't realize they had everything necessary there.

This time I will be taking my 2022 Class A.

I am not sure where I will go after Great Basin Park. Any suggestions? Places with no cell coverage preferred!


-Don- Auburn, CA

We haven't really decided route yet. Often we see what the weather is doing and then decide.

We have UK phones so don't always get the same bands as you have. I tried Verizon one year but it wasn't great. I tend to use AT&T and have found it most reliable. Our UK phones jump onto T-mobile so we can use that too. However we often go go places with no signal. Steve built a gadget that boosted a signal and it was fairly reliable but only gave us 20gb hotspot so not great

Having the Starlink mini will let us take it in the truck so that gives us an emergency option.

Did you go to Ely? Nice town with an old train station.

Have you been to Cathedral Gorge State Park? Lots to explore from there.

We went into Utah from there. Steve fancies the Ruby Mountains.

 

[DonTom]

Did you go to Ely?

Yes, I even sent you a message from there, here. But I didn't notice or know about the train station.

Have you been to Cathedral Gorge State Park? Lots to explore from there.

No, but I did notice it on Google Maps and I was curious about the place. So now I will go there for sure after GBNP--thanks for the suggestion.

We went into Utah from there. Steve fancies the Ruby Mountains.

I will most likely do the same. I have not been to Utah for years and there is a lot to see and do in Utah. I used to go backpacking in Zion Natl Park every summer. all in the higher elevations. I have been all over Utah but all of it was a long time ago.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[NY_Dutch]

A curious side note, Van Treaking Lifestyle is putting stickers on the surface of their antenna, which I gather has not created a problem with reception.

I have a grey silicone cover on my Mini antenna that makes it less obvious when it's sitting on the ground. There's zero change in the signal with it in place. The cover also protects the antenna from hail, etc.

 

[Ohiosnowbird]

I know it's British it's not known here for accurate journalism

Neither are most of the papers here. I like to read it because often it covers things you won’t see here. I like to read Al Jazeera for the same reason.

 

[OldWEB]

At least the Starlink sats completely burn up when they reach the atmosphere, so no debris left behind or reaching Earth.

On August 20, 2024, a 2.5 kg piece of aluminum was found on the ground in a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, and determined by SpaceX engineers to have come from a Starlink satellite that reentered
following the erroneous Falcon G9-3 deploy.
It has happened...
Starlink implements a targeted reentry approach to deorbit satellites over the open ocean, away from populated islands and heavily trafficked airline and maritime routes.
Why, if they 'completely burn up'?

Some more to chew on...